Best Place to Propose on the Cactus to Clouds hike?

[Florian]

Florian, thanks much for the thought! Where are you headed?

Going to LA to visit my son at UCLA.

-Florian

[dima]

Hi All,

I have to say the hike was grueling, the most difficult that we've done, and a bit harder than expected. It tested our limits and tested us as a team. We rose up to the challenge and supported each other at different times. It is a good foundation for our marriage.

Due to conditions on top we decided to make it into a day hike - Palm Springs Art Museum to the Tram and back down on the Tram. We started at 7:15 and as somebody said, the museum trail doesn't waste any time. WOW, that thing was straight up.

Got a little side-tracked on one of the branches, but with some help quickly found the famous rock (8 miles, 10 hours no water).

It was the hottest day of the season in Palm Springs, I understand, with temperature passing 100. So the heat was more than we expected and I regret not brining a hat.

We were slightly under-watered, with about 1.25 gallons each, half of it Powerade. I was trying to conserve water a bit so didn't drink quite as much as I should have. Sometime around 11:30-noon, with the sun shining straight down, in the middle of the desert part, my quad started cramping up, and then I got a charlie horse in my calf.

"Sarah, we need to stop"
"Let's go a little further..."
"No, we're stopping right now" as I dive under a shrub with a semblance of shade.

At that point I devoured the 1 pound of minced fruit we brought and drank about half-liter of powerade which brought me back to life. We lowered the pace quite a bit which made it OK.

I proposed on the trail soon after we got into the pine forest. I wanted to find somewhere with a gorgeous view and knew that I may not again until the top due to the trees. So once I saw a clearing, I got down on one knee and proposed in a Shakesperian sonnet.

The last 2000 feet were grueling as everyone described. But seeing the top so near and being in the shade boosted our morale.

Thanks again for everyone's advice! It was really magical!

[KathyW]

Dima: I'm assuming Sarah said yes? Congratulations!

[Cy Kaicener]

Congratulations Dima and Sarah. It was smart of you to propose before tackling the gruelling section soon after Flat Rock
I would not recommend anyone starting that late in this kind of weather

[Lcpl Hughes]

WOW! 7:15..you were really pushing your luck on that one..
I am glad you both made it unscathed and alive and that you will now be getting married Congrats!